More Stupid Questions, I can't seem to get a answer by searching on.

Hi All,
I am sorry, you all going to get fed up with me, I have a few questions I can't seem to find answers to easy.

1. I am going to ride to work because I am fed up with walking but my work is like a couple of miles each way, I let it warm up as normal and it reads a temp. But my concern is the oil hasn't had chance to warm up there for hurting the engine, can I have a bit of advise on this.

2. Clean and Relube of Chain, how do you clean it is the first question, next what lube is best for all weather riding, and how often should it be done?

Thanks for any replies to this.

Luke

No stupid questions, only stupid people who do daft things because they didn't want to ask.

Your oil will warm up long before your coolant which is where the temperature reading is taken. So long as the bike gets up to reading 85 degrees by the time you get to work, it has all warmed up properly. The flow of coolant is controlled by a thermostat, so coolant doesn't even start flowing through the engine and warming up, until the engine is sufficiently warm to need cooling. If you wheel your bike out and start the engine before putting on your earplugs, lid and gloves, the temp gauge should be rising before you set off. Just don't give it the berries on your rides to and from work, save that for a weekend blast when it is nicely warmed up.

Use parrafin and a paint brush from your local DIY store to clean the chain, then wipe it dry with a rag before applying the lube. It's usually in the garden centre section, sometimes called 'Parasene', and if the staff don't know where it is, ask them where they keep the heater fuel. It comes in 5 litre tubs and I've also found in B&Q it gets kept next to the large tubs of white spirit in the paint section. It costs about £5 - £6 and will last you ages, I have bought two tubs in the last 5 years. It's also an excellent degreaser for use on the engine, footpegs, fork legs, swingarm, etc. I paint it on with a brush with a few minutes before washing the bike, and all the grease just runs off.

Chain lube is personal preference, so long as you buy a decent brand and apply it as per the instructions. Some prefer wax, some prefer dry lube, I use this Silkolene stuff. You are supposed to apply lube when the chain is warm, but I usually clean the chain when I clean the bike, so want to put my bike away in the garage clean and with the chain lubed and adjusted, so I don't take it for a ride and get the bike dirty again, just for the sake of warming up the chain, and I've always had decent chain and sprocket life.

[Mr Speirs]

Short journeys do tend to put the engine as risk, I found that I would get condensation on the spy glass or a mayonaissey substance, as long as you take it for a long ride on a regular basis also you shouldn't need to worry too much.

Paraffin is the choice of men to clean the chain. Easiest practice for me is to get the bike on a rear stand, dip a small sponge (I use small foam paint rollers) in the paraffin and douse the chain spinning to get access to every link. Then with a clean rag dry off the excess paraffin (some people also chose to take the bike for a quick ride to fling off the excess and warm up the chain ready for the new lube.

In terms of what lube to use there are many opinions but I prefer to use a dry lube with whilst it doesn't last long and needs reapplying regularly it doesn't fling like thicker lubes. I use Profi Dry Lube available from HG.

Some others prefer a scotoiler.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

No stupid questions, only stupid people who do daft things because they didn't want to ask.

Your oil will warm up long before your coolant which is where the temperature reading is taken. So long as the bike gets up to reading 85 degrees by the time you get to work, it has all warmed up properly. The flow of coolant is controlled by a thermostat, so coolant doesn't even start flowing through the engine and warming up, until the engine is sufficiently warm to need cooling.

Thanks for that Ralph, 85 degrees, I barely touched 60 this morning, so need to take it out a bit longer before going to work maybe???

Also I have a rear paddock stand but I don't know how to use it, I have all the attachments, but some one was saying I need boobings? is this right.

Originally Posted by Mr EnDo

Thanks for that Ralph, 85 degrees, I barely touched 60 this morning, so need to take it out a bit longer before going to work maybe???

Also I have a rear paddock stand but I don't know how to use it, I have all the attachments, but some one was saying I need boobings? is this right.

Or let it warm up on the driveway whilst you are putting your gear on. Like Mr Spiers says, take it for a good run at the weekends, or take the long way home a few nights a week.

Post up a picture of your paddock stand.

Also if you are using an SV650 for Winter commuting, search ACF50 and FS365 and have a read. The bike will really suffer otherwise. The majority of road salt damage on my SV650 was in the first winter before I realised how prone to rotting they are, before the SV I had only had Honda's. Kept it really clean and coated in FS365 after that, but once the boltx are furred and the paint has flaked, it's very difficult to stop it progressing. Keep it in good nick from day one.

Ignore anyone who says FS365 is no good because it is water soluble. I emailed Scottoiler to get a definitive answer. They say it's properties change when in contact with road salt to form a non-water soluble barrier that builds up the more you use it. The salt washes off, the FS365 doesn't, then you reapply.

Which you use again is personal preference, and depends upon how often you want to wash your bike and reapply it. Most winter commuters use ACF50 and leave the bike dirty TBH, I was not an every day commuter as I can't use the bike when I go to see customers, now I work from home unless seeing customers, so the bike is just for the occasional commute into an office for a meeting, and for weekends and holidays now.

[Biker Biggles]

And now for the complete opposite advice.
First the chain.I have an SV with about 28000 miles on the current chain and sprockets.I have NEVER cleaned it or used any off the shelf chain lubes on it.I just put a bit of used engine oil on it and spread it around with an old paintbrush if I have time.Little and often.
As for warming up the engine before driving off---dont do it.The engine warms quicker and with less wear if you ride it gently as soon as it will go without cutting out on you.Just never thrash it until fully warmed.If it doesnt get hot because your journey isnt long enough so be it.You do less wear by riding it than letting it tick over on choke while you faff about.Perhaps go the long way round to work?

Originally Posted by Mr EnDo

Also I have a rear paddock stand but I don't know how to use it, I have all the attachments, but some one was saying I need boobings? is this right.

No useful advise really but this made me laugh

ok maybe a little advice, some paddock stand use the swing arm, will look something like this:


Others need a bobbin attached to the swing arm and will look more like this:

HTH
Ben

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

And now for the complete opposite advice.

Mr Endo, you'll never get consistant advice on a forum mate, everyone has thier own opinions. The best way is to stick up a poll, see here

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=160019

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=160017

See what the poll results come out at then make your own decision.